Of Marriage and Single Life - Part B
"Unmarried-men are best friends, best masters, best servants, but not always best subjects." – Justify. [NU. 2012, 2019]
In Of Marriage and Single Life, Bacon highlights the differences between married life and single life. Unmarried people are best friends because they do not have to care for their family and can afford much time, energy and also money to spend for their friends and admirers. They are the best masters in the sense that they are kind and sympathetic. They are not so strict towards their slaves. That is why, they are admired by those serving under him. As servants, unmarried men are more free to devote themselves to their masters. But they lead a careless life and so they do not make good citizens. As they are free from family life, they can run away at any time. These unmarried men do not have the same sense of responsibility as a married man has. Thus, Bacon's attitude towards the unmarried men, as expressed in the above lines, are based on utilitarian consideration.
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